On Sunday afternoon, Oct. 9, the Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage will open a new exhibit entitled “Creative Images of Nature.”  The exhibit features the art of Bob Dixon, a Thomasville artist whose work has won awards in regional and national juried shows and hangs in many museums and private collections.

The opening reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m.  The public is invited to meet Dixon and view the 65 works on display which include paintings and drawings in watercolor, oil, colored pencil, acrylic and pen and ink.  Subjects encompass landscapes, trees, flowers, animals and other images, several of which reflect the artist’s travels to England, Scotland, Ireland and France.

Mr. Dixon is especially well-known for his delicate and realistic watercolors of roses. A painting of the Mister Lincoln rose hangs in the White House while the Cherokee rose, Georgia’s state flower, graces the Georgia Governor’s Mansion.  In England, Dixon’s painting of the Queen Elizabeth rose was presented to Elizabeth II for the Buckingham Palace Collection.   A print of the Cherokee rose raised over $70,000 for the Georgia Rotary Student Program.

Landmarks, Inc. and Archbold Hospital of Thomasville commissioned Dixon to draw two major series of Georgia plantations and historic buildings.  He has also illustrated seven books and has had one-man shows in Tallahassee, Columbus, Thomasville, Fitzgerald, Macon and Albany.  

Of his paintings, Dixon, a retired United Methodist Minister, states, “ I believe the elements of nature are signatures of God and my desire in painting them is to help others read the signatures. “

The Museum is located at 255 Love Ave., adjacent to the Tifton Tift County Library. Exhibit hours are Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.,  Thursday evening from 5 to 7 and Sunday 1-3 p.m.  For information, contact Syd Blackmarr, Exhibits Chair, 229-388-1090 or go to www.tiftonmuseum.org.